Means for braking motor vehicles



April 12, 1927.

D. BEACH MEANS FOR BRAKING MGTOR VEHICLES Filed 001- 26, 1923 I 2 Sheets-Sheetl Q I g x R! w '1 o 0 g H E 4 April 12 1927.

M. D. BEACH MEANS FOR BRAKING MOTOR VEHICLES 2 Sheets-She 2 meg ob;

Patented Apr. 12, 1927.

MILO D. BEACH, OF LI'ICHFIELD, CONNECTICUT.

MEANS FOR BRAKING MOTOR VEHICLES.-

Application filed October 26, 1923. Serial No. 670,819.

This invention relates to the braking of a'motor vehicle by engine action.

Various means have been proposed heretofore for utilizing the compression of an internal combustion engine for the purpose of controlling the speed of the motor vehicle carrying the engine but, so far as I am aware, earlier inventions have only partially accomplished the desired object.

The object of my invention is to provide efiicient and powerful braking means, utilizing the compression action of the pistons to the endthat even the steepest grades may be descended by the motor vehicle at speeds wholly under the control of the driver, without requiring the use of the ordinary brakes but without interfering with the use of such brakes if their use is desired.

A practical embodiment of my invention utilizes the intake manifold as a compression chamber, supplemented by the cylinders of the engine, with means for preventing the back pressure from entering the car-bureter, combined with a controllable let-off or relief valve by which the compression may be controlled at will so that the engine will operate at such speed as will afford the rate of travel desired by the driver.

Combined with the foregoing means is means, adapted to be put into use at the will of the driver, by which each intake and each exhaust valve for a given cylinder of the engine will be opened at each revolution of the engine crank shaft instead of at every other revolution thereof. That is to say, said means will open each valvetwice for a given revolution of the cam or valve shaft, instead of only once during the complete revolution of said cam or valve shaft, it being understood that when the engine is running as usual in propelling the car, the cam or valve shaft ordinarily opens a given valve only once for two complete revolutions of the engine crank shaft.

The foregoing'manner of val vc operation is accomplished at the will of the driver by providing the usual cam or valve shaft with two additional cams for each valve and so located in reference to the usual valve opening cam on said shaft that by longitudinally shifting the cam or valve shaft, the cams which operate the valve rockers or valve operating devices will be displaced from normal position and the other cams arranged to operate the valves, thus effecting opening of any valve once during each re"- olutlon of the crank shaft or twice during each revolution of the cam shaft.

Thus, the drivermay instantly shift the cam or valve shaft so that the braking crms are rendered operativeand the exhaust valves are thus opened on the down stroke of each piston to allow an inrush of air, whereas the intake valves are open on the up-stroke of each piston so that the air previously drawn in on the down stroke, is compressed and forced into the intake manifold and into other cylinders, thus affording a body of compressed air which is open to the pistons on their up-stroke to resist the upstroke and afford a powerful braking action.

The relief valve enables the driver to control the relief of the air pressure to any dey sired extent and he thus has control of the speed of the vehicle so that descent of the car down a grade, or its progress on a level surface, will not be too slow should the engine be used as a braking medium.

In carrying out my invention, the manifold may be made larger than usual, if desired, to increase its cubical capacity for the compressed air.

lVhile the present invention is illustrated in connection with a poppet valve type of engine such as in common use, I wish it understood that it is not restricted to the poppet valve type of engine as it may e used in connection with engines of any type by resorting to certain modifications.

The valve provided for preventing the compressed air from being forced into the carburelcr is so arranged that said valve autonmticall y opens when the engine is operated as a power plant in driving the car.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation, broken away and in section, illustrating the application of the invention to an internal combustion engine such as is used on a motor vehicle.

Fig. 2 isa vertical section on line 2---2, Fig. l; and I Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the operation of the intake and exhaustvalves in connection with two cylinders.

The practical embodiment of the invention disclosed in the drawings is in connection with a well known type of automobile internal'combustion engine. It is to be underill stood, however, that the invention may he used in connection with any internal contbastion engine employed for driving a motor vehicle and that. by suitable nioditicatimi, the invention may be applied to internal combustion engines of any type.

Certain of the cylinders are deea rnatcd at 1 and the pistons are shown at 2. The valves for intake and exhaust appear at 3.

The carburetor is SllOWIl at l. the intake manifold appears at 5, and valve or corn shaft for operating the valves in shown at 6.

Valve or cam shafts usually make one revolution for each two revolutions of the engine crank shaft, the usual cam 7 being" provided on the shaft 6 to cooperate with the valve rocker 8 to open each valve 3 once during one revolution of the camshaft or two revolutions of the engine crank shaft.

F or the purpose of carrying; out the prcsent invention. the cam shalt 6 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposite came 9, 10, arranged in oileet or staggered relation to the came 7, considered in the direction. of the length of the shaft 6 so that, normally, these came 9, 10, are out of alinelnent with the respective rockers 8., Whereas the usual cams 'i' are in alineinent with said rockers.

It will he understood that in addition the single cam 7 for operating; the rocker E3, in each iuetancc, as when the hngrine is running as a power plant, there will he provided a pair of additional coma ll. '10. for each rocker 8, the cams 9, 10, being nori'nall out. of operative position.

To render the earns 9, 10. effective. and the cams 'i" inetlcctive, so that the engine "will art as an :iuloinatie hralcc on the vehicle when the latter in descending a. grade or in to he slowed dovrn. the shaft 6 is inou ntcd no that it? may he slid longitudinally in its hr-aringa, one of which is shown at ll, Fig. 1.

Any suitable means may he provided for shifting, the rain shaft 6, one such means lining shown in Fig.1. it and comprising a yoke 12 received in a. groove 13 in shaft a Slllli'tl lever 1 1- pivoted at 15. and suitable operating: means 16 located in convenient position to he operated lay the driver.

When the shaft 6 is in normal position the rains are no located that they will operate the valve roclrere 8 in the ordinari manner no that the engine and valves will then oper ate as usual 'for driving the ar. When the shalt 6 is shifted to diaplacc the cam T from normal position. the braking cams: 9. it). are hrouaht into line with the rockers 5 and.

thereupon. the valves 3 are opened once tor" evcrv revolution of the engine cranlt shalt to thereby etlect the braking action hereafter deacrihcd.

'lo rnevent the compresaion canned lay the breaking; operation from tort-inn air haclt: into the carburetor l, there is provided a valve l? which perniita the charge to ho sucked into the engine from the carburetor but prevent; the air from being, forced back, said valve closing when the engine is used as a. braking means.

To enable the driver. to control the braking operation by letting off the compression as may he dcaired, a. relief valve 18 la prori led. This valve is normally held seated. by a spring 20 of sufficient strength to resist; opening during operation of the engine. A link 21 and suitable manually operated means 22, arranged conveniently for the driver, enable the driver to press upon tl'ie valve 18 to any desired extent to control re lief of the pressure in the manifold dun inn a braking operation.

It desired. the valve 1"? may he provided with a spring.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, which shows diagrammatically two pmtons and cylinders and an intake and exhaust valve for each cviinder. the braking" came 9, 10. are so an ranged that the exhaust valves are open on the downfatrolre of the pistons and the in take valves are open on the up strike. Gan:- Fequeutly, when the pistons descend air drawn in tlu'murh the exhaust valves and when the pistons rise the cxhauat valvca then clore and the intake valves open so that. the air previously drawn in is compressor]. luv the rising pistons and forced into the manifold 33 and into other cylinders of the engine. 'lfhia results in the platens operating against conipreesed air which quickly hnilda up such a resistancethat the. engine ctlectuallv hralroa the car. To prevent "this OpOflllOIt from hcoorninp; too abrupt and to enable the ear to he alo vcd down to a auilahle speed and vet allowed to move as! last; as the driver may deem :iidvisahle, the air pre surc may he let oil. by the opening and closing relief valve 18 under the control oi the operator. The relief valve 18 is hold cloned by its spring and, when the engine is need as; a hralcc. the driver noes his foot toincrcaee the prersure on the valve. thus holdinnthe valve cloned against relief of the pressure to any extent desired. it the loot, pressure is released. the valve will open when the air pressure in the intake manifold becomes greater than the tension of the spring.

"While the invention is illualratcd. and dccribed. as cniplo ving' the llll'ttlfl manilol l as a compression chamber. l am a are that the exhaust"niai'ii'fold inat'cad ol' the intake manifold. may be used as each coniprci'taiou chamber. l do not. thcrcl'orc. limit the invention to the use oi the intake manifold as the comprc nion chan'ihcr.

ll hilc the invention is shown and dcscribed in connection with a poppet valve type of internal combustion engine, it; can. hy certain modification within its spirit and Bil llli

scope, be embodied in'any type of internal combustion engine. i

The broad principle of the invention resides in the provision of means,in connection with an internal combustionengine,

whereby the engine may be arranged so that itwill force air into a chamber and to readmit the compressed air to the engine cyl-r inde'r to resist the: instroke of the piston; further, to provide means for controlling the air pressure in'the chamber so that the resistance to piston movement may be regulated.

.In the claims the word in-stroke means the movement or stroke of the piston toward the cylinder head; the word out-stroke means the movement of the piston away from the cylinder head.

' I claim:

1. Means for braking motor vehicles by the use of the internal combustion engine thereof comprising devices for opening the exhaust valves on every out-stroke of the engine pistons and closing said v'alves on every in-stroke-of the pistons and for closing the intake valves on every out-stroke of the pistons and opening said intake valves on every in-stroke q;f the pistons, whereby air is repeatedly drawn into the engine on every out-stroke of the pistons and is' compressed into the engine manifold on every in-stroke of the pistons, whereby operation of the pistons cumulatively builds up an air. ressure in the manifold and cylinders, an an automatically-acting valve which normally permits the carburetted charge to pass to the manifold, said valve being adapted to close to prevent the escape of the cumulatively built up compressed air from the manifold into the carburcter.

2. Means for braking motor vehicles by the use of the internal combustion engine thereof comprising devices for opening the exhaust valves on every out-stroke of the engine pistons and closing said valves on every in-stroke of the pistons and for closing the intake valves on every out-stroke of the pistons and opening said intake valves on every iii-stroke of the pistons, wherebyair is repeatedly drawn into the engine on every out-stroke of the pistons and is com pressed into the engine manifold on every iii-stroke of the pistons, whereby operation of the pistons cumulatively builds up an air Ejarcssuro in the manifold and cylinders,

cans for preventing the escape of the coat pressed an from the manifold lnto the car' lmrctci. and means controllable at? w ll 91 regulating the pressure thus cumulatively built up, to thereby control theresistance offered to the pistons on their in strokes.

3. Means for braking motor ,vehicles by the use of the internal combustion engine thereof, comprisin a shiftable cam or valve shaftwhich 1S provided with the usual valveopening cams and, also, with additional, or braking, cams, "ieans for shifting said cam shaft to render the usual cams, or the brakingcams, effective, said braking cams being adapted, when arranged for cooperation with the intakeand exhaust valves of the engine, to so operate said valves that the exhaust valves will be opened on every out-stroke of the pistons and closed on every iii-stroke, and the intake valves will be closed on every out-stroke of the pistons and opened on every in-stroke thereof, whereby the opera; tion of the pistons-cumulatively builds up an air pressure in the manifold and cylinders, means for preventing the escape of the compressed air from the manifold into the carbureter, and a relief valve, controllable at the will of the driver for letting off the' umulatively built up air pressure so that the'braking' and action of the engine may be controlled.

4. An internal combustion engine having intake and exhaustvalves, operating means for said valves, controllable at will, adapted to be set to cause the valves to operate in the usual manner, or, for reversing the ac-' tion of said valves so that the engine will be converted into an air compressor whereby the pistons will cumulatively build u a resistin air pressurein the engine maniiiild to check every in-stroke of the pistons, and automatically-acting means which acts to prevent escape of thecumulatively built up i air pressure from the manifold into the carbureter when the engine acting as an air compressor. v

5. An internal combustion engine having intake and exhaust valves, operating means for said valves, controllable at will, adapted to be set to cause the valves to operate in the usual manner, or, for reversing the action of said valves so that the engine will be converted iritoan air com ressor whereby the pistons will cumulative y build up a resisting air pressure in the engine manifold to check every in-stroke of the pistons, automatically-acting means which acts to prevent escape of the cumulatively built up air )ressure' from the manifold into the carureter when the engine is acting as an air compressor, and means. for controlling the cumulatively built up air pressure thus provided, whereby the braking action may be regulated.

which the accumulated pressure while the chamber 18 scaled from the carburetor, er

ertson the engine pistons,

"byihc operation of the engine, when desired,

for the purpose of building up a pressure to resist the operation of the engine, means including a foot-controlled valve for regulating at will to any desired degree the pressure in said chamber and means for preventing the carburetor from communicating with the engine while the pressure is being regulated as aforesaid.

8. The method of braking a motor vehicle, consisting in utilizing the compression of the propellingengine thereof to cumulatively build up an air pressure, using said pressure as a resistance to the operation of the engine pistons, and regulating at will to any desired degree said resisting air was sure while preventingthe carbureter from communicating with the engine, to thereby determine the braking action exerted by the engine on the vehicle.

9. Means for braking motor vehicles by means of the internal combustion propelling engine thereof, comprising valve-controlled passages between the cylinders of said engineand an air supply, means adapted to open said valves err-every out-stroke of the pistons'of said cylinders and to close them on every in-stroke of the pistons, a, closed chamber, valve controlled passages between said chamber and said cylinders, and means adaptedto open said last-named valves on every iii-stroke of the pistons in said cylinders and to close them on every out-strolre of the pistons.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature.

MILO D. BEACH. 

